Cole Plumbing is pleased to offer our modern trenchless sewer repair solutions to the state of Alabama. This state-of-the-art technology eliminates many of the complications associated with sewer repairs, such as property damage, long, annoying, dirty repair projects, and the numerous bills that can follow an excavation. For many customers, the most important benefit of trenchless technology is the financial savings, but since every job is unique, it can be difficult to find a range of rates to help you budget for your project. To help you prepare for your trenchless sewer repair, Cole Plumbing would like to help you understand the reasons for the costs involved in the trenchless repair process so you can plan accordingly.
Just as every household and business is unique, each sewer repair project is different from every other. The many factors involved create a fairly broad range of total trenchless project costs in Montgomery, Autauga and Elmore County, but your quote will provide you with detailed information on the costs related to your repair or replacement so you’ll know exactly what you’re paying for and why. We value your trust, so we work hard to keep the quote process honest and open so that you’ll feel comfortable with your rates.
Trenchless Sewer Repair Cost Savings
Before we get into the factors that impact your project’s pricing, let’s talk about the savings that every customer enjoys with Cole’s trenchless sewer repair technology. Trenchless systems reduce or even eliminate many of the expenses that come with a traditional dig-and-replace projects. The more of these expenses you cut or avoid, the greater your savings when you choose trenchless.
No Need For Repaving Costs
One of the most costly aspects of traditional sewer repairs is asphalt or concrete removal when the damaged sewer line runs beneath driveways, sidewalks, patios, parking areas, or roadways. As the property owner, this expense hits you twice: once when you pay to have the paving material removed either by heavy equipment or jackhammering, and again when you have to repave the surface after the sewer repair is complete. Labor and materials can run into the tens of thousands of dollars, and the removal process extends the repair project by a day or more. Trenchless repairs such as pipe lining and pipe bursting can be completed beneath the paved surface by accessing the pipe at the edges, either dramatically reducing or completely eliminating pavement damage altogether. The more pavement you preserve by choosing trenchless repairs, the more you’ll save on the project cost as a whole.
No Need For Tree Removal
Another cost that’s often part of traditional sewer repairs is mature tree removal. It’s not uncommon for sewer pipes to run below trees that have grown to maturity after the home was built. In the worst-case scenario, the roots of the tree encircle the pipe, making it impossible to reach without removal of the tree itself. In this case, not only do you lose your beautiful, full-grown tree, you will usually have to pay a tree-removal service to take it down. Tree removal typically costs anywhere from $300 to $900 for each tree, and the more trees along your sewer line, the higher your bill. Cole’s trenchless sewer repairs are completed underground and use the existing pipe channel, so there’s no need to remove the tree, which completely eliminates this expense.
No Yard and Landscaping Restoration Costs
You may or may not need to remove paving or trees to access your damaged sewer line, but everyone has to deal with extensive property restoration after a traditional sewer repair. The combination of large-scale digging, movement of heavy equipment, large numbers of work crew members, storage of pipe, and piles of removed dirt all wreak havoc on the grass, shrubs, flowers, and plants on your property. After the replacement is completed and the work crews go home, you, the property owner, are left to reseed or re-sod your lawn, replace your plants and shrubs, and fix any displaced lighting or other yard features on your own. The costs to restore your yard to its pre-sewer repair condition can often be hundreds of dollars, and this cost isn’t reflected in the price of the repair. Cole’s trenchless sewer repairs require little equipment, few technicians, and only a small repair area, so your yard stays in good condition and you avoid this expense altogether.
No Collateral Damage
Much like problem sewer pipes often run below trees and sidewalks, they also often run below common yard features such as outbuildings, walls, and decorative shelters like gazebos or pergolas. To access the pipe in traditional repairs, these will need to be removed, which is often difficult to do without damaging or even destroying the structure. The additional labor for removal will increase the cost of the project, and if you decide to restore it following the repair, you’ll have additional expenses. Trenchless repairs don’t impact surface structures, so that lovely gazebo that you worked so hard to build is kept safe from damage.
Factors that Affect Trenchless Repair Costs
As a property owner, understanding the aspects of the project that will impact your final price will help you better budget so that you can be financially prepared when you’re ready to begin work. Here are some of the factors that play the largest roles in determining your trenchless sewer repair cost. The relationship between them is complex, and your qualified Cole Plumbing repair estimator will carefully analyze your situation to create fair pricing for the best value for your investment.
Repair length
The base price for trenchless repairs is usually related to the length of the pipe to be restored or replaced, represented as the number of dollars per linear foot. A short length of pipe will be at the very bottom end of the range, whereas a very long repair that covers hundreds of feet will be at the top. Most home repairs are less than 100 feet long and fall near the middle of the spectrum.
Diameter of the pipe
Pipe diameter is another factor that makes a significant impact on the cost of the trenchless restoration project. Pipe lining, the most commonly used method of trenchless repair, involves applying an epoxy liner to the inside of the pipe. The wider the pipe, the more epoxy it takes to coat the entire surface, which in turn increases the cost of materials for the project. Very large diameter pipes such as municipal mains are quite costly to line, but the typical home sewer main of three to four inches is at the bottom end of the scale, making pipe lining very affordable for most households.
Sewer Damage
The nature and severity of the pipe damage is the next aspect of the project to be considered. In the simplest terms, the more damaged the pipe is, the more expensive it is to repair. Small problem areas, such as pinhole leaks and seeping joints, can be easily restored with minimal treatment that takes just minutes to apply. On the opposite end of the spectrum, a pipe that has heavily corroded and has large open areas will require sturdier, more extensive repair techniques and materials which, in turn, drive up the cost. Almost any pipe with enough integrity to support a pipe liner can be saved using trenchless technology, but large-scale trenchless projects will end up costing more.
Repair Types
As with all repair methodologies, trenchless sewer repairs come in all shapes and sizes, each with its own price scale and related costs. Pull-in-place lining, which involves winching in an epoxy-coated sleeve, can restore nearly any pipe as long as you can reach both ends of the damaged area. Inversion lining, which is similar to pull-in-place lining, but the sleeve is blown into the pipe inside out, works remarkably well in areas where only one end of the pipe can be accessed. Epoxy coating involves applying vaporized resin using compressed air and fixes tiny, leaking water lines in minutes. These are just a handful of the many options available.
Each of these processes has as different set of requirements and its own pricing scale, and your experienced SPT technician will know which is best for your unique situation. The price will vary depending on what is recommended and what you ultimately choose.
Potential Accessibility
The next important factor in pricing trenchless pipe repairs is the accessibility of the damaged area and the access points to reach it. If the repair can be completed through a cleanout port that’s in plain view in the basement, for example, accessibility will have little impact on your final payout. On the other hand, if the only way to reach the damaged area involves digging a small hole underneath the front porch, it’s going to cost more for labor to expose the access point where the repair tools and materials can be inserted. Most sewer pipe access areas are relatively easy to reach, so accessibility doesn’t often cause a problem in trenchless sewer repairs. But if you find yourself in a conversation with your technician about how to get into the pipe for the repair, you may see an increase in overall cost.
Simplicity of the System
The last common issue that can play a role in your sewer repair costs is the location and types of connections involved. A pipe that’s essentially a straight line with no side connections will be less expensive to restore or replace than one with multiple connectors, elbows, and joints, simply because all of the connections will need to be recut and resealed after the restoration is complete. Most homes have simple sewer connections and enjoy the bottom of the rate scale, but complex sewer systems such as those in apartment communities, commercial buildings, and industrial or municipal settings will cost more.
The Average Cost of Trenchless Sewer Repairs in Alabama
Unfortunately, sewer repair costs can’t be easily described with a single number because there are so many factors to consider. To help compare rates, most sewer repairs costs are described as cost per foot or cost per linear foot, simply because the pipe length is a factor in every repair process.
Cole’s two most commonly used trenchless repairs are pipe lining for sewer line restoration and pipe bursting for sewer replacement. Trenchless pipe lining typically costs between $100 and $300 per foot, which varies based on the factors described above. In residential pipe lining work, the total cost for the entire project, including repairs and any needed property restoration, usually ranges between $4,000 and $8,000. Some repairs can be as little as $3,000, and occasionally a severe problem that involves municipal main connections can reach as high as $20,000.
Pipe bursting repair costs usually range from $50 to $200 per linear foot, depending primarily on the length and diameter of the pipe. Much like pipe lining, project costs fall between $3,500 and $20,000, with most falling between $5,000 and $9,000. Costs in excess of $10,000 for residential replacements are relatively rare, and are often found in cases where unusual circumstances are complicating the project. It is important to note that all of these numbers are strictly for reference, and the only way to get an accurate idea of what your repair project may cost is contacting us for an evaluation of your system.
Every project is unique, and Cole Plumbing takes the time to carefully evaluate your situation so we can eliminate unnecessary work and keep the costs as low as possible. Your customized quote will take into consideration all of your circumstances, and we will provide you a detailed explanation of your charges at the beginning of your project. We value the business of our Montgomery, AL customers and want you to be completely satisfied with your results.
Cole Plumbing is your trusted provider for trenchless repairs in Alabama, and we back up our commitment to excellence with honest, open pricing that you can understand. If you’re in the market for a sewer repair solution, call us today to discuss your needs and schedule your free estimate. We conduct trenchless repairs in Montgomery, Autauga, Elmore, and beyond. Our knowledgeable and highly-trained staff is proud to serve businesses and residences throughout the state.
